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Spartan News is a presentation of Mason County Central School District in partership with Mason County Press.
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
SCOTTVILLE — About 91% of Mason County Central High School students qualified for an ice cream social Thursday, Oct. 15, as part of the school’s effort to encourage regular attendance and recognize students for positive behavior and academic achievement.
The event, sponsored by House of Flavors ice cream manufacturing of Ludington, was part of the school’s “Showing Up is Job #1” attendance initiative, conducted in partnership with West Shore Educational Service District.
MCC High School Principal Brian Dotson said students qualified for the ice cream social by meeting attendance benchmarks of fewer than four absences or fewer than three tardies since the beginning of the school year.
“One of our initiatives is showing up as job one, and that’s in partnership with West Shore ESD (Educational Service District),” Dotson said. “We’re really hitting on the Spartan Way attendance piece.”
Dotson said the Spartan Way emphasizes three areas of student success: attendance, attitude and academics.
“The Spartan Way is three A’s. You’ve got attendance, you’ve got attitude and academics,” he said.
The ice cream social was one of several incentives the school has implemented to encourage students to meet those expectations.
Another incentive is called “Long Lunch Friday,” which allows qualifying students to extend their lunch period to an hour.
Dotson said students meet with their advisors each week to review their academic progress, attendance and behavior. Students who meet the expectations can use their Friday advisory period as additional lunch time.
“Students love to be able to drive to Taco Bell or Culver’s or wherever they go on Fridays because they can make it down that far,” Dotson said.
He said the incentives are intended to encourage students to make positive choices rather than focusing exclusively on disciplinary consequences.
“It’s positive reinforcement to get kids doing the three A’s,” Dotson said.
The ice cream social was organized with assistance from parent volunteers who have helped coordinate student recognition activities.
Dotson said he was particularly pleased that 91% of the high school’s students qualified for Thursday’s recognition.
“We’re really excited,” he said.
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